The August 1, 2011 luncheon drew over 50 attendees. Jere Nash and Andy Taggart, authors of Mississippi Politics and Mississippi Fried Politics offered their predictions and insights on the August 2 Mississippi primary elections at Monday’s Stennis-Capitol Press Luncheon. In their typical back and forth banter the two showed why they are two of the most listened to political observers of Mississippi politics. Here are links to coverage of their comments:

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Bobby Harrison blog):Republican political strategist Andy Taggart predicted at Monday’s Mississippi State University Stennis Institute of Government/capitol press corps luncheon that for the first time since the 1800s more people would vote Tuesday in the Republican primary than in the Democratic primary.

Mississippi Public Broadcasting - Every statewide office and legislative seat, is up for grabs today in the primary election. Two popular Mississippi political pundits are giving their predictions on who wins the statewide seats. Republican analyst Andy Taggart says the hottest race to watch today is between Billy Hewes and Tate Reeves for Lieutenant Governor. He expects Hewes to win…but not by much.

Mississippi Business Journal (video) – (Taggart) In my estimation of this news cycle is that the Dave Dennis campaign never came on … The lieutenant governor’s race is exactly the opposite. (Nash) There are two rules that will be in play … The first is that the candidate that spent the most money in the last two election cycles won that race… (the second is that) you have a ground-based campaign versus an air-based campaign in the Luckett – Dupree race..

MBJ Magnolia Marketplace blog – Political analysts and authors Jere Nash and Andy Taggart offered Monday at the Stennis Capitol Press Corps luncheon their predictions for how Tuesday’s elections will go. Without delay, here they are:

… In the down-ballot races, Taggart was less decisive. He said there will almost certainly be a runoff among two of the three GOP candidates for treasurer,…Nash spent the majority of his time at the podium on the local legislative races. He concedes that it will require a minor miracle for the Democrats to control the Senate. The fight to control the House — something Republicans have made a priority to pave the way for a GOP Speaker — “will be very, very close,” he said.

WLBT-TV – Political watchers like Jere Nash and Andy Taggart say it’s the republicans set to gain to most representation in statewide elections.

Clarion-Ledger - … Right-leaning political pundit Andy Taggart said he expects more people will cast their ballots on the GOP side, rather than the Democratic side, this year…His left-leaning counterpart, Jere Nash, said he thinks local elections will keep more voters on the Democratic side. ”Many are still voting Democratic in local races,” he said.